Trump to address religious conference after backing Ten Commandments law: Live updates

Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail today, addressing conservative Christians at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, DC. The former president, a convicted felon and accused adulterer, has declared his “love” of the Ten Commandments following new legislation in Louisiana that requires them to be displayed in all classrooms.

Later on Saturday, he will head to a rally near Philadelphia, continuing a recent streak of campaigning in traditionally solidly Democrat cities.

Yesterday, a hearing in the former president’s classified documents case ended with no ruling as Judge Aileen Cannon entertained a motion from Trump’s legal team that Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel.

Smith has brought charges for allegedly mishandling classified information in Florida and in the District of Columbia for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Trump argument that Smith’s appointment was illegal stems from the claim that Attorney General Merrick Garland doesn’t have the legal authority to appoint a special counsel who the Senate hasn’t confirmed.

Cannon seemed skeptical of Trump’s argument that Smith was appointed illegally but also said that the prosecution’s statutory analysis appeared to be an excessively “malleable” reading of the Constitution, Lawfare reported.

Bel Trew reports from the Road to Majority Conference in Washington, DC:

After addressing the conference, Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley claimed “record turnout and record enthusiasm” for Donald Trump, as he dismissed concerns of divisions within the Republican Party, ahead of the Republican National Convention due to take place in three weeks in Milwaukee.

“We have absolutely an enthusiasm gap